Washing machine



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 PGB W 1931 s. B. KEIL ETAL WASHING MACHINE Filed oct. 1sy 192e :'s lsheets-sheet 2 Linde/@Z215 G. B. KEIL Ei' AL WASHING MACHINE Filed oct. 13. 1928 lFeb. 17, 1931.

@M MM Feb. I7, 1931. G. B. KEIL ET AL WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I. Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE GUSTAV B. IKEIL AND 'LOUIS C. UPTON, 0F ST. JOSEPH, MIGHIGAN, ASSIGNORSQB'Y" MESNE ASIGNMENTS, T0 NINETEEN HUNDRED CORPORATION, OF BINGHAMTON', NEW YORK, A `GORPORA'IION 0F NEW YORK WASHING MACHINE Application led 'October 13, 1928. Serial No. 312,270.

Our invention relates to clothes washing machines and more particularly refers to that type of machinewhich comprises a stationary tub with a vertical shaft centrally located within the tub for rocking an agitator.

The object of this invention is to provide a means for washing eiiciently a smallamount of clothing. With a larger machine, 0 such as is used for the usual amount of weekly washing, if only a small quantity of clothes are to be washed, the rubbing contact between the clothes themselves necessary to thoroughly cleanse the articles would not take place. By this invention means are provided, for washing efficiently such a quantity of clothes, in which the clothes come in intimate contact with each other to give the necessary rubbing contact between themselves.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a means that can be attached to, or inserted in, a machine of the size usually found in a household for doingthe weekly washing.

Still another object is to provide a washing machine that can easily and quickly be converted from an arrangement suitable for doing the usual amount of weekly washing to one suitably adapted to wash only a small quantity of articles.

A further object is to provide a machine of such construction that a small amount of clothing may be washed with much greater ease and facility than if it were done in the usual size of machine.

For clothes in which the dirt can be easily removed without hard rubbing or for clothes of such texture that hard rubbing would harm them, the more violent agitation of a machine of the usual size would be either unnecessary or harmful. Another object of Vthis device is, then, to provide a washing ma- 4 chine of such construction and operation that there will be no unnecessary or harmful rubbing.

Another object is to provide a washing mal size, so that there is only a small amount of labor `or expense entailed.

It is also the object of this invention to provide a small tub, in which the clothes are washed, which may be used as a receiver or hamper for the soiled clothes and placed in a convenient place such as in the bathroom during the time that it is not used as a washer.

Another object is to provide such a tub so attached to a machine of usual size that the driving mechanism and auxiliary parts of the larger machine such as the wringer o erate and are operated in connection with the small tub. l

Other ob'ects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational View of a washing machine having a portion of the large tub broken away to show the small tub.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the large tub partially in section and a section of the large agitator.

Fig'. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the seating and driving portion of the large agitator.

Fig. 4 is a View of the upper portion of the driving shaft showing the seating and driving portion. y

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the small tub taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 shows a vertical section ofthe small tub taken on its axis.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the small tub in position on the drive shaft.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the machine with the small tub in place to show how the wringer may be positioned for use with the small tub.

While the invention is susceptible of various modications and alternative constructions, we will show and herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment but it is to be understood that we do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawings, the invention is embodied for purposes of illustration in a washing machine of the type constructed for household use. A large stationary tub 20 is supported by a frame 2l and has a cover 20a. Below the tub 2() there is mounted a motor 22 arranged to oscillate a vertical shaft within the tub 20. The motor 22 is also connected to and drives another shaft 23 positioned externally of the tub 20 for driving a wringer generally indicated by .24. Since the connections between the motor and these shafts, and they wringer are no part of the present invlention, they will not be described in detai A vertical housing 25 is positioned centrally within the tub 20 and is rigidly connected thereto. The housing 25 serves as a bearing for an oscillating shaft 26 r(Fig. 7) which is driven by the motor 22. The upper part of the shaft 26 has an enlarged portion 27 of a diameter approximately that of the housing 25 and bears vertically thereon. This portion 27 has flattened surfaces 28 to form a driving connection with an agitator or a small tub later to be described. Above the portion 27 the shaft 26 is extended and has a rounded end 29 upon which the above mentioned small tub or agitator is seated.

When it is desired to wash a quantity of clothes such as would collect in a Wceks time in a household, tlm large tub 20 and thc parts shown in Figure 2 are used. Over the housing 25,11 large agitator 3l is placed which agit-ator is seated upon the shaft 26 and forms a driving connection therewith. The agitator 3l comprises vanes or blades 32 rigidly attached to a central tubular por-y tion 33. The upper part (Fig. 3) of the tubular portion 33 forms a seating portion 34 to be seated upon the rounded end 29 of shaft 26 and also has flattened surfaces 35 complementary to the flattened surfaces 28 of the shaft 26 and coacting therewith to forni a driving connection.

It will be seen from this description that the agitator 3l is oscillated within the large tub 2O to accomplish the washing action. It will also be noted that the agitator 31 may be removed from the tub 20 merely by liftin the former vertically upward from the sha 26.

Figures 5 and 6 show the construction of a small tub 40 which may be used for washing a small quantity of articles and may be placed upon the shaft 26 in place of the agitator 31. The small tub 40 is formed by a cylindrical side 41 and a bottom 42. Axially located within the small tub 40 and rigid therewith is a small agitator comprising a central tubular member 43 and a plurality of vanes orblades 44 extending radially from the tubular member 43. These blades 44 are rigidly attached both to the tubular member 44 and to the bottom 42 of the small tub 40. Handles 45 are placed on the side 41 of the tub 40 so that the latter may be conveniently lifted or carried. A top 46 is provided to prevent splashing.

The construction of the central tubular member 43 is exactly similar to that of the central tubular portion 33 of the large agitator 3l in that the tubular member 43 has a seating portion 47 and flattened surfaces 48 coacting with the rounded end 29 and the flattened surfaces 28 of the shaft 26 respectively.

From this description itis obvious that the small tub 40 may be placed upon the shaft 26 by manually lowering it thereon and that the shaft 26 supports and imparts an oscillatory motion to the small tub 40. By this oscillatory motion of the small tub 40 and the small agitator, the latter being rigidly connected to the former, a washing action may be set up within the small tub 40.` It is to be specially noted that this small tub 40 may be removed from the machine by a simple lifting motion.

With this description in mind, it vis-apparent that this washing machine provides a means for washing a small amount of articles efficiently and that the machine is easily convertible from one suitable for washing the usual amount of weekly washing to one suitable for washing a small amount of articles. It will also be seen that the conversion of the machine from one size to the other is accom-v plished without any ditliculty but merely by lifting out one device and substituting another.

We claim as our invention:

In a washing machine havin a vertical oscillatory shaft supported withln a tubular housing and having a part projectin above the housing, said part comprising a riving member and a seating member projecting upwardly a substantial distance from said driving member and having a` rounded end, the combination with said shaft of a small tub, a tubular portion projecting upward centrally within said tub and rigid therewith, said tubular portion fitting snugly about said seating member having its upper end closed 

